Terri Ramsey Beavers Are you looking to take your career to the next level? One position that so many people (understandably) try and strive for would be upper management and upper middle management. You have more responsibilities, but the work usually isn’t as intimidating, and you also get a team at your back. Honestly, that concept alone makes it nice, right? Plus, there’s just more respect; people are also just more inclined to listen to you, too. All around, management positions are great.
But what if you’re eyeing something a little more specific, like a supervisor, even a warehouse supervisor? If you’re working in the fulfillment or logistics industry, then you have to know that it takes some special skills and qualities to get to such a position. In general, these positions can be a bit tough to reach; they’re competitive, and it’s understandable, too- there’s a lot of perks. But what are these qualities? Well, here’s exactly what you need to know!
Emotional Intelligence
Now, this one probably surprises a lot of people, but being a supervisor doesn’t inherently mean that your only job is to bark orders. Honestly, it’s far from being just that! You’re the one that’s managing a team, a team of humans, not a bunch of emotionless robots. As you already know, empathy is about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.
So, it’s all about understanding what your team members are going through, especially during challenging times, which can make a huge difference. Everyone is going through their own problems, so it’s not always going to be easy to expect them to just pick up and carry on with what they were doing.
Ability to Delegate
You need to keep in mind that delegating isn’t just about assigning tasks; it’s about trusting your team to handle those tasks well. This requires understanding your team’s strengths and growth areas so that you can assign tasks effectively. But is that really all? Well, good delegation also means providing the necessary resources and support for your team to succeed.
Commitment to Personal Development
It’s not all about them; they know that. Instead, it’s all about development for them and their team so it can help the company as a whole. So, a top-notch supervisor invests in their own professional development and also actively seeks opportunities for their team’s growth.
It’s really going to vary, but for the most part, this could mean offering training sessions, encouraging team members to take on new challenges, or providing regular constructive feedback to help them improve.
Fairness and Objectivity
Is this something you think you can do? To a degree, it can be a bit challenging, but it’s something that a good supervisor knows about! Being fair doesn’t always mean treating everyone exactly the same—it means treating everyone justly and appropriately, considering individual needs and circumstances. It also involves being objective, especially when it comes to giving feedback, making decisions, or resolving conflicts.
Visionary Thinking
To a degree, supervisors are leaders; they need to be leaders, and a good leader is going to have some visionary thinking, so is it something that you can do? This isn’t just about meeting deadlines and hitting targets; it’s about seeing where your team could go and guiding them toward that future. Can you inspire? This is probably the biggest thing that a hiring manager is going to look for when promoting someone to supervisor.